Court gives Tsvangirai reprieve

LABOUR Court judge Justice Lillian Hove yesterday reserved judgment in the matter in which MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai is being sued for failing to pay a "consultant".

Moreprecision Muzadzi claims he was hired by Tsvangirai to facilitate negotiations for an opposition coalition ahead of the 2013 general elections won convincingly but controversially by President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF amid allegations of rigging.

Muzadzi is demanding over $7 800 and two Nissan NP 200 vehicles from Tsvangirai as "facilitation fees" for bringing other opposition leaders, including Welshman Ncube, Simba Makoni, Margaret Dongo and Dumiso Dabengwa, to rally behind his candidature.

Justice Hove had doubts on whether Muzadzi had approached the proper court for redress in his dispute with the opposition leader.

After hearing Muzadzi in her chambers, the judge said: "I reserve my decision on whether or not that this case is properly before me."

Muzadzi had difficulties in convincing the judge on why the Labour Court should hear his matter, which at face value seems like a civil case of breach of contract than a labour dispute.

"I went to the Ministry of Labour with my case, but was advised that the matter had been prescribed by lapse of time. I then approached the Civil Court and it said the compensation I was seeking was beyond its jurisdiction, hence, the only recourse I had is approaching the Labour Court as a competent court," Muzadzi argued.

Neither Tsvangirai nor his lawyers were present at the hearing.

Muzadzi, in his papers filed with the court, claims that for the work done for Tsvangirai, he was supposed to receive two Nissan NP 200 vehicles from the MDC-T leader, funded by an unnamed Western ambassador, together with a $7 800 pay cheque.

The project was codenamed "One Zimbabwe, One Presidential Candidate", according to papers before the court.

Muzadzi is seeking the court to order Tsvangirai to make good his alleged promise to pay the allowances and cars, which were to be delivered despite failure by the loose coalition to secure electoral victory.